In the manufacture of composite parts, resin impregnated fiber tows and/or tapes are typically placed onto the surface of a tool, such as a rotatable mandrel. Typically the fiber tows are laid down in bands of multiple parallel tows, applied at a pre-determined angle across the tool. Multiple layers of bands, commonly known as plys, are typically successively applied, one on top of the other, to bring the part to a finished, but uncured state.
After all of the tows are laid in place onto the tool, the tool with the uncured part still resting thereupon is placed into an autoclave, or other type of curing apparatus, and additional operations are performed to cure the composite part on the tool and then remove the cured composite part from the tool.
In order for production of such composite parts to be accomplished efficiently and effectively, it is desirable to have multiple tools which are interchangeably attachable to the machine used for placing the composite material onto the tool. In this manner, while one composite part is being cured on one of the interchangeable tools, the machine utilized for placing the composite onto the tool may be simultaneously used for winding the fiber tows onto another tool. Through use of such interchangeable tools, the machine placing the fiber tows onto the tools can operate more-or-less continually, for winding successive parts, while previously wound parts are proceeding through the curing cycle and any subsequent operations required to separate the previously wound and cured parts from their respective tools. Because the machines utilized for placing the fiber tows onto the tool are often highly complex, computer controlled and generally quite expensive, the ability to have interchangeable tools, so that the machine can be run essentially continually is highly desirable.
In new generations of aircraft, however, very large parts, such as complete fuselage sections and wing skins, for example, will be constructed from composite materials through the process of automated fiber placement onto large rotatable mandrels, or other tools, by highly sophisticated automated fiber placement machines. Such parts must be manufactured with all fiber tows placed to a very high level of accuracy and precision. Given the very large size of these parts, designers have heretofore encountered considerable difficulty in developing detachable connectors for use at the interface between the tool and the automated fiber placement machine which are capable of meeting the high level of accuracy and precision in attachment of the components to one another, while simultaneously providing for convenient and practical interchangeability of tools.
It is highly desirable, therefore, to provide an improved method and apparatus for joining a fiber placement tool to a fiber placement machine, in a manner providing the required degrees of accuracy and precision in location of the tool, while simultaneously providing for convenient interchangeability of multiple tools on a single fiber placement machine, and/or use of multiple tools on multiple fiber placement machines.